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The Atlas Copco HiLight MI+6 lighting tower combines hybrid power, mobility and enhanced technology to maintain visibility in changing work areas.
When the sun sets, the work doesn’t stop. Unlike most office environments that have wrapped up for the day, mining sites continue to operate through the night.
This places effective lighting at the centre of safe and productive operations. But with varying work areas and a focus on reducing operating costs, the lighting infrastructure needs to be versatile.
That thinking has formed the design of the Atlas Copco HiLight MI+6 hybrid mobile lighting tower.
Unlike traditional mobile lighting towers that rely solely on continuous diesel operation, the HiLight MI+6 provides flexible power options through the combination of a lithium-ion battery system and a fuel-efficient diesel engine.
This allows operators to select from four different operating modes: battery, diesel, hybrid and mains, based on the task at hand.
Battery mode offers reduced noise and emissions for environmentally sensitive areas, diesel mode delivers continuous operation while recharging the battery, hybrid provides a balance to maximise efficiency and runtime, while mains mode enables connection to external power while also recharging the battery system.
Richard Crowe, the general manager of Australian distributor Atlas CEA, said the ability to choose between these working modes can help miners reduce illumination-related operating costs.
“Australian mining operations are increasingly looking for ways to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, without compromising safety or lighting performance,” Crowe told Australian Mining.
“The HiLight MI+6 addresses this need by combining battery storage, high-efficiency LED lighting and diesel back-up power in a single unit.”
Rather than being fixed in one place, the MI+6 tower is built on durable wheels that provide the mobility to respond quickly to changing illumination requirements without the cost and time associated with permanent installations.
Whether it’s on a haul road, a laydown area, drill site or maintenance zone, the MI+6 tower can be positioned exactly where lighting is needed.
Featuring a hydraulic mast and a compact, trailer-mounted design, the mobile tower is also intended for rapid deployment.
“Operators can move and set up the unit quickly with minimal effort,” Crowe said.
“For mining operations where work fronts regularly change, fast deployment means lighting can be relocated efficiently to maintain safe working conditions without creating delays or additional labour requirements.”
With an onboard battery system and an integrated diesel engine, the MI+6 tower can generate and sustain lighting without access to grid power.
Crowe said this is particularly valuable at remote mine sites where access to electrical infrastructure can not only be challenging but also expensive.
“The MI+6 is ideally suited to these environments because it combines mobility, hybrid power capability and long operating autonomy,” he said.
“We see strong opportunities for the MI+6 across open-cut mining, exploration projects, shutdown works, maintenance activities and temporary infrastructure projects where operators require reliable lighting without the need for permanent power connections.”
Compared to previous models of Atlas Copco mobile lighting towers, Crowe said the MI+6 delivers up to 25 per cent more lighting coverage through its advanced surface-mounted device (SMD) LED floodlights and Atlas Copco’s Smart Light Distribution technology.
Making use of four 200W SMD LED light heads, the MI+6 provides approximately 152,000 lumens with an efficiency of around 190 lumens per watt. According to Crowe, the system can illuminate up to 6000m2 at an average of 20 lux and up to 8520m2 at 1 lux.
Crowe said the improved technology allows the tower to distribute light more effectively across a larger area while maintaining lower energy consumption compared with traditional lighting technologies.
“Effective lighting is essential for maintaining visibility around personnel, equipment and traffic movements during nighttime operations,” he said.
“By providing improved coverage, the MI+6 helps reduce dark spots, improve hazard identification and enhance situational awareness for operators.
“From a productivity perspective, the MI+6 also supports efficient work practices by allowing teams to operate confidently and safely during extended shifts and around-the-clock operations.”
This feature appeared in the October 2026 edition of Australian Mining.